NEWS
During winter break from MSU, Peter Welsch and his mother discussed a news story about organ donation that flashed across the TV screen in the kitchen of their Tawas City home.
Curious about her son's own wishes, Debra Welsch asked if he would donate his organs when he passed away.
"He just kind of put his hands on his hips and gave my mom a quizzical look like 'Why wouldn't I?'" said his brother, Andy Welsch, retelling the events of that day.
None of them had any idea of the importance of that conversation.
About two weeks later, Peter Welsch, a computer engineering freshman, died due to complications from wisdom teeth extraction.
"It's almost like he knew, and he was telling us beforehand," said his brother, a telecommunication, information studies and media junior.
Advocates of organ donation say they hope more families like the Welsches will discuss their wishes, as waiting-list numbers continue to increase each day.
About 80 percent of Americans understand the advantages of organ donation and approve of it, but only 28 percent have given legal permission to release their organs when they die, according to a Gallup poll reported by ABC News.
Peter Welsch became one of those donors in January.
A week before classes resumed, the Welsch brothers traveled to an Alpena oral surgeon to have their wisdom teeth removed.
